Wednesday, September 23, 2009

My Son is Amazing Me

Last year, in 6th grade, they took the standardized tests. Because of his scores he's been offered a couple of opportunities that are really kind of exciting.
First, he's been invited to participate in the Duke University's TIP program (Talent Identification Program). He gets to take the ACT or SAT tests as a 7th grader. He also has access to educational guidance from the Duke TIP staff through his 10th grade year. There are more, but that's what I remember right now :)
The second opportunity we found out about today. We were asked for our permission for him to be nominated for participation in the Joseph Baldwin Academy in conjunction with Truman University in Kirksville, MO.
Participants are nominated based on the same criteria as the first opportunity - scoring on standardized tests.
They must take either the SAT or ACT test before they can participate, but many of these students are the same ones that are invited to participate in the Duke TIP program, so they'll be taking it anyway.
The students get to spend three weeks during the summer at the academy, living in the dorms, with a room mate, eating dorm food, participating in activities, and taking a college level class that's been condensed into a 3 week course for them. They will experience the complete college experience (minus hazing and drinking games - these are middle schoolers) from taking the ACT/SAT, waiting for an acceptance letter, to filling out financial aid and scholarship paper work, choosing their classes, getting student id's, using the library, etc...
Three weeks seems like a long time for my boy, who's not so little anymore, to be gone, but he's very excited, and so am I.
He understands that these are really good opportunities, and that they are only offered to a handful of people. He will be contributing some of his own money, to help him appreciate it all the more, but we will be looking for a way to raise the funds for this second opportunity, because it's not cheap. This cost is about $1700.00, but we hope the experience will be priceless.
We are so excited for him, and as a parent, to see my son have these opportunities, it's just an amazing feeling. He is a wonderful young man, in so many ways. Out of all the families God could have sent this beautiful child to, he picked ours, and I will be forever grateful.